First time he kissed me, he but only...

First time he kissed me, he but only kissed
The fingers of this hand wherewith I write,
And ever since it grew more clean and white, --
Slow to world greetings, quick with its "Oh, list,"
When the angels speak.  A ring of amethyst
I could not wear here plainer to my sight
Than that first kiss.  The second passed in height
The first, and sought the forehead, and half missed,
Half falling on the hair.  O beyond meed!
That was the chrism of love which love's own crown,
With sanctifying sweetness, did precede.
The third upon my lips was folded down
In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed,
I have been proud and said:  "My Love, my own."

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) , no title, from Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 38, published 1847-50

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Frederic Balazs (1920-) , "First time he kissed me, he but only kissed", published 1960 [high voice and string quartet or chamber orchestra], from Sonnets after Elizabeth Barrett Browning, no. ?
by Florence Newell Barbour (1867-1946) , "Love's Ecstasy", published 1922 [voice, piano], from Songs
by Eleanor Everest Freer (1864-1942) , "First time he kissed me, he but only kissed", published 1910 [medium voice and piano], from Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 38.
by (Charles) Alfred de Kaiser (1872-1917) , "Three Kisses", published 1912 [soprano, piano], from Seven Sonnets from the Portuguese
by Lynn Steele (1951-) , "Sonnet XXXVIII" [soprano and flute], from Three Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 2.

by Viktor Ullmann (1898-1944) , "Sein erster Kuß berührte nur die Finger", op. 29 no. 3 (1940), from Drei Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen von Elizabeth Barett-Browning, übertragen von Rainer Maria Rilke, no. 3.

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Sein erster Kuß berührte nur die Finger

Sein erster Kuß berührte nur die Finger,
womit ich schreibe: wie sie seither leben
geweiht und weiß, unfähig zu geringer
Begrüßung, doch bereit, den Wink zu geben,
wenn Engel sprechen. Und es könnte nicht
ein Amethyst sichtbarer sein im Tragen
als dieser Kuß. Der zweite, zum Gesicht
aufsteigend, blieb, wo meine Haare lagen,
verloren liegen. Unwert der Verwöhnung
empfing ich seine Salbung vor der Krönung.
Doch feierlich wie im Zeremonial
war mir der dritte auf den Mund gelegt
in Purpur, und seitdem sag ich bewegt:
o mein Geliebter, - stolz mit einem Mal.

by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) , no title, 1908, from Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen, no. 38

a text in English by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) , no title, from Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 38, published 1847-50

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Viktor Ullmann (1898-1944) , "Sein erster Kuß berührte nur die Finger", op. 29 no. 3 (1940), from Drei Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen von Elizabeth Barett-Browning, übertragen von Rainer Maria Rilke, no. 3.

Date added to the website: 2008-11-26.